the matts:

My sweet baby girl,

You aren’t a baby anymore… You are a 1 year old!! Yesterday we had your big birthday party and over 50 people came! So many people love you and that makes Mommy burst with pride and joy! Today we went to the doctor for your 12 month well visit and to make sure you were over that sickness you had a couple weeks ago. They pricked your finger and you didn’t even flinch. The nurse was telling all the other ladies how great you were! And the nurse who took your measurements was laughing at how you point your toes so much- she said she’s never seen a child so young do that. You are our perfect little ballerina already! You are super long for your age- almost off the charts… maybe you will be tall like Grandda!

The last couple days you have started walking a lot more. I’m pretty sure you will have this down in just a couple weeks. You are almost there! You started waving so hard that almost your whole body shakes… It’s so cute! You’ve got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen, and though you only have two bottom teeth still, the doctor said today that the top four would be breaking through any time. Exciting! You also started throwing little mini-tantrums every once in a while when you don’t get what you want. Mommy and Daddy are still learning how to deal with it, and trying not to laugh because it’s pretty pitiful. But 99% of the time you are a perfect angel- everyone always comments on how sweet, friendly, and well-behaved you are. You are always up to something- walking, crawling, playing, rolling, banging… you are a busy, busy little bee, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life’s too short to just sit around and watch huh, Pres?

Thank you for truly being my perfect little princess. I cannot believe how fast this year went by, and from what I hear, the next few will go even faster. I take hundreds of pictures of you because you change so much and I don’t want to forget anything. Everyday you bring me more and more joy, more pride, you teach me more lessons about you, our life, myself, and the Lord. I pray that you stay this kind and loving forever- I am claiming in Jesus name that we will never have the years of disobedience, manipulation, or teenage fighting. I believe that you will grow up in a home filled with love, compassion for others, selflessness, obedience, and learning to be more like Christ all the time. I promise to do my very best to help you become the most Jesus-like person you can be.

Thank you for making me a better person every day. I cry every time I think about how much I love you. I really could not love you more than I do at this very moment. You are the most amazing child ever and I thank God for you everyday. I can’t believe you’re mine. I love you, baby girl!

Mommy

We threw Presley a beautiful polka dot party yesterday and it was a major success! Every item of food was round, there were hanging polka dots and polka dots on the wall, there were balls and bubbles for the kids to play with… everything was so cute!!! Our wonderful friend David Song took pictures, so we will post them when he has them ready in a couple weeks.

We had over 50 people attend… We feel SO blessed to have so many people in our lives who love our angel, Presley Claire. We opened gifts for 30 minutes and the sweet child never took the smile off her face. She was the life of the party- a total doll… a very friendly, happy, personable sweet little birthday girl. She wore a precious pink and green polka dotted dress and great little pigtails. I made both cakes- a two tier white cake with buttercream icing and pink and green polka dots, and a strawberry smashcake with chocolate frosting and the same polka dots (which she LOVED). They definitely weren’t perfect, but they were cute and everyone seemed to enjoy them (and they didn’t cost $60 which is what all the bakeries were going to charge for what I wanted).

Also, Chris’ family from Texas came in and we had a great visit. The girls came over Saturday night to hang with me and Pres while the boys went to the LSU spring game. They had a great time playing with the baby and I got to handmake all that cake & icing for the polka dots.The time together was way too short and left us wanting more, but Lauren had a big golf tournament today- such the little athlete she is

Thanks to everyone who came to the party and made our baby’s birthday so very special. Last night after everything was put away and Chris went to go get us some dinner, I started crying just thinking about how blessed we are to have such amazing friends and family in our lives. I was truly touched by the generosity of everyone who gave time and gifts for Presley. If you weren’t there, we missed you.

I couldn’t have asked for a better 1st birthday party for Presley- she deserved every minute of planning and preparation that it took. Can’t wait to post pictures soon!!

I just got an email from Myrna Wright-my fearless leader of the Guest Services team at Healing Place Church- that is soooo exciting. After tallying up the Easter response cards, we now know that there were 573 first time guests this weekend, and 467 people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior!!! Praise God!!

Who knows how many of those people came because they were shown a simple act of kindness through our 7 Days of Servolution?! Or how many came because someone committed to pray for them and invite them to a service? Whatever the reason, God showed up and people’s lives were changed for the glory of Christ. He is risen, He has died so that we could be set free, and we can live in His peace, His mercy, His love, and His grace. What a wonderful blessing!

For anyone looking for birthday present ideas for our little princess, I have created an Amazon.com wishlist. Just search the wishlists under Meghan Matt for some great thoughts on what to get her. Obviously you may not be able to order them from there and get them in time, but it’s just a great reference tool to see what she wants most. You can just get ideas and then go to any store and try to find something like it. Anything she receives will be so appreciated… We love y’all!!!

Our baby girl isn’t a baby anymore… On Friday April 10th, the sweetest, most beautiful child on the planet turned one, and her mommy cried many tears. We could not be more proud to call this little angel ours, and are SO thankful for the blessing that she is to us. She opened lots of presents from us and her grandparents including books, blocks, a purse, balls, clothes and a super cool tunnel. She is totally enjoying all her new stuff!!

My parents paid for us to eat some Cheesecake Bistro to celebrate, and it was WONDERFUL. Presley got two desserts on her birthday- chocolate cake to smash all over her face at lunch, and a few teeny tiny bites of cheesecake at dinner. Then she promptly got a tummy ache because we never feed her junk. Yesterday we went to Portrait Innovations for her one year pictures and got some great shots. That girl is ridiculously photogenic!! I’ve posted some below, but there are many more at http://www.dropshots.com/meghanmatt.

Life is good. Presley is AMAZING. We are blessed beyond measure. He is risen. We are saved. It’s glorious!!!